"This is peacebuilding in action, and it is inspiring to see." UN Deputy Secretary General Briefs Peacebuilding Commission on visit to Papua New Guinea

UN Resident Coordinator Gianluca Rampolla joined Mr Davis Steven, the Deputy Prime Minister, as well as the Minister for Bougainville Affairs and the Minister for Post-referendum Consultations and Dialogue of the Autonomous Bougainville Government in a virtual meeting with Ms Mohammed, in which she spoke of the peace building milestones the country has achieved and applauded the role of women in peace building process.

Ms Mohammed said "In Bougainville, it was women who pushed their men to lay down their arms. We must build on and invest in these capacities for peacebuilding."

In March, Ms Mohammed and a delegation that included Executive Director of UNIAIDS Winnie Byanyima and UN Youth Envoy Jayathma Wickramanayake met with women working in peace building and security at the National Museum in Port Moresby where the delegation heard of the role of women in peace building processes.

"I was also inspired to hear from women peacebuilders around the country, who once again underlined the critical importance of women’s equal participation", Ms Mohammed said. "They shared their experiences around the impacts of tribal conflicts, of displacement, of supporting victims of attacks including the rising numbers of sorcery-related attacks, and of the proliferation of arms in their communities."

Ms Mohammed addressed the complex causes of violence and potential risks to the peace building process. She said "As an island nation in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea is on the frontlines of the climate crisis and home to the world’s first climate refugees. Climate disruption is not a future threat, but a clear and present danger, affecting coastal communities in particular. In the Highlands, the changing climate patterns and recurrent droughts risk exacerbating the tensions that can lead to violence."

The March delegation was primarily a celebration of International Women's Day and during her briefing Ms Mohammed spoke of the need to combat violence against women across Papua New Guinea.

"In the Highlands, I sat on the grass with women survivors of violence who told me about the poverty and insecurity that lie behind abuse and violence," she said. "In too many places, the ties of family and community have loosened, and alcohol and substance abuse are rampant. But while these factors drive violence globally, it is clear that violence against women is first and foremost about gender inequality."

On the progress to be made towards addresses these inequalities and tensions, Ms Mohammed noted she was "deeply impressed by the capacities and potential of the extraordinary young people we met, who are eager to play a role in shaping their country, but often lack opportunities to do so."

In closing, Ms Mohammed stated that "In addition to the current request for Peacebuilding Funds, it is essential that Member States, multilateral organizations and international financial institutions invest in sustainable development so that we meet our commitment to leave no one behind."